Travelling case



Feb. 28, 1967 R. ROSENBLUM 3,306,405

TRAVELLING CASE Filed April 30, 1965 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 fi /"IS U U U U U U UUUUUU I4 c F1612 am INVENTOR B ROBERT ROSENBLUM ATTORNEYS.

R. ROSENBLUM TRAVELLING CASE Feb. 28, 1967 2 SheetsSheet 2 Filed April 30, 1965 FIG. 3.

INVENTOR ROBERT ROSENBLUM 1 I 2O AEZRNEY5.

United States Patent 3,306,405 TRAVELLING CASE Robert Rosenblum, 365 West End Ave., New York, N.Y. 10024 Filed Apr. 30, 1965, Ser. No. 452,298 3 Claims. (Cl. 19051) This invention relates in general to travelling cases which are used for carrying articles, and more particularly to a travelling case having one or more releasably fastened article holding members which can be selectably removed, replaced and interchanged.

While in general, there are several varieties of known travelling cases, briefcases, and the like which feature internally mounted article holding members, such prior art travelling cases, because of their non-removable article holders, do not provide the flexibility and convenience offered by the removable article holding member and travelling case combination of the instant invention.

As will be readily appreciated by one familiar with the equipment packing and carrying problems of physicians, repair men and technicians, especially those who render emergency service, it is necessary that a complete set of instruments, tools, medicines, etc., sufi'icient for the anticipated needs of the particular case, be packed in a suitable carrying case so as to be available at the site where such services are rendered.

In view of the wide variety of services rendered by such potential users of the travelling case combination of the instant invention, releasable means, for example snap fasteners, magnets, and mutual adherent material such as Velcro, are provided for fastening and supporting article holding members within a travelling case, so that the article holders can be removed and replaced as desired. Such an arrangement permits the use of article holders which can be pre-packed with the instruments and materials needed for a particular type of service, and reduces the hazard of emitting a necessary item such as might easily occur with prior art travelling cases which require separate packing and checking of the items required for each distinct type of service call.

By providing a plurality ofarticle holding members which need not be similar in their article holding arrangement, but which can be interchangeably and releasably fastened to the-travelling case and/or to each other, ac-

cording to the invention, a more flexible travelling case and article holding arrangement results.

The travelling case combination of the instant invention is by no means limited in its application to the carrying of instruments and materials, but by a suitable article holder substitution, such as an envelope or accordionfile type article holder, can be used for carrying documents as well, or in addition to instruments, and thus is suitable for general use.

Although in most applications of the instant invention, it will be preferable to have the article holders enclosable by the travelling case, such article holders can also be releasably fastened in accordance with the invention to the exterior of the travelling case, if desired.

It is therefore, an object of the invention to provide a travelling case having one or more releasably fastened article holding members which can be selectably removed and replaced.

Another object of the invention is to provide a travelling case as aforesaid wherein the article holding members are interchangeable.

Other objects and advantages of the invention will become apparent from the following detailed description and accompanying drawings in which:

FIG. 1 is a front view of a travelling case according to a preferred embodiment of the invention, wherein the 3,306,405 Patented Feb. 28, 1967 travelling case is open to show a typical article holder arrangement.

FIG. 2 is a side view, partly in section, of the travelling case of FIG. 1.

FIG. 2A is a side view, partly in section, of a travelling case according to another embodiment of the invention featuring magnetic means for securing the article holders therein.

FIG. 3 is a front view of a travelling case according to another embodiment of the invention, wherein the travelling case is open, with its article holding member being removed.

FIG. 4 is a perspective view of a typical article holding member which can be used with the travelling case of FIG. 3.

In FIGS. 1 and 2 there is shown a typical travelling case 10 according to the invention having a lower compartment 11, and an upper compartment 12 connected by hinges 13, with the lower compartment 11 being provided with an article holding member 14a, and the upper compartment 12 being provided with article holding members 141) and 140. The article holding members 14a, 14b and are removable and replaceable so as to provide a travelling case 10 with an article holding arrangement which can be selectably varied to suit the needs of a particular use.

The article holding member 14a is releasably fastened to and within the lower compartment 11 by means of conventional snap fasteners 15, each of which have a pair of mating snap fastening members 15a and 15b, with the snap fastening members 15a being fixedly mounted'to flaps 16 extending from the article holding member 14a and the snap fastening members 15b being fixedly mounted to the side walls 17 of the compartment 11.

Preferably, the article holding member 14a is constructed with a rigid or semirigid panel 18, such as a panel 18 having a core of wood, sheet metal, or fiber-board (not shown) and covered on one or both sides with leather. Where the article holding member 14a is covered with leather on both sides, such leather covers'can be extended beyond the edges of the panel 18 and glued together to form the flaps 16 which bear the fastening members 15a. If desired, a flexible reinforcement layer (not shown) can be sandwiched between the cover extensions which form the flaps 16-.

For suitable article holding capability, the front side of the panel 18 is provided with a plurality of holders 19, such as pockets, elastic loop straps, etc. affixed thereto, it being understood that the particular configuration and arrangement of such holders 19 can be varied as desired for a given application.

As to the number of snap fasteners 15 provided for releasably fastening the article holding member 14a to the compartment 11, it should be noted that at least one, and preferably two or more are provided on each flap 16. There should be at least two and preferably four flaps 16, extending from the lateral edges of the panel 18, in the case of rectangular panels 18 and compartments 11.

Where the travelling case 10 has curved side walls 17, a number of flaps 16 and fastening members 15 sufficient for restraining the article holding member 14a, regardless of the shape of its panel 18, are provided.

To provide for the installation of additional similar article holding members 1411 in the compartment 11, the arrangement of the snap fastening members 1512 mounted on the side walls 17 can be repeated at spaced intervals from the first arrangement shown in FIG. 2, so that such additional holding members 14a can be releasably fastened to the walls 17 at spaced intervals from each other.

By providing a lurality of holding members 14a which can be pre-packed with the articles needed for a given type of service operation, each holding member 14:: having a fastening member 15a arrangement which permits such holding member 14a to be interchangeably installed in the compartment 11, the versatility of the travelling case can be enhanced.

In the upper compartment 12, a somewhat different arrangement of releasably fastened article holding members 14b and 140 is provided. As distinguished from the arrangement in compartment 11, article holding member 14b is releasably fastened to the back wall 20 of the compartment 12 by means of snap fasteners 15, similar to those used for fastening the holding member 1411 to the side walls 17 of the compartment 11.

Also, the article holding member 14c is releasably fastened to the article holding member 14b by means of snap fasteners 15.

The article holding member 14b, which is suitable for carrying papers as well as instruments and materials, is constructed with a front holder panel 20 which is flexibly connected to a back mounting panel 21 by means of a flexible fold member 22 at its bottom edge and accordionfolded flexible side members 23 along its lateral edges. On the front side 24 of the panel 20, a plurality of article holders 19, similar to those on the panel 18, are mounted. The panel 20 like the panel 18 previously described herein is preferably constructed similarly thereto, so as to have sulficient rigidity for maintaining the spacing arrangement between its associated article holders 19, so as to prevent the articles held thereby from becoming pressed against one another. The Space between the front and back panels 20 and 21 respectively can be utilized as a file for papers and documents, and if desired can be provided with dividers 25 attached to the side members 23 at their accordion fold lines.

A plurality of snap fasteners 15, having fastening member a fixedly mounted to back panel and fastening members 15b fixedly mounted to the rear wall 26 of the compartment 12, said fastening members 15a and 15b being geometrically arranged for respectively mutual fastening engagement, serve to releasably fasten the article holding member 14b to the compartment 12.

The article holding member 140 is releasably fastened to the article holding member 14b by means of a plurality of snap fasteners 15. The fastening members 15a of said fasteners 15 are fixedly mounted to flexible flaps 27 and 28 which extend from the panel 29 of said holding member 14c, with the corresponding fastening members 1512 being fixedly mounted to the front panel 20 of the holding member 1417.

In fastening the article holding member 140 to the article holding member 14b, the panel 29 is held at an inclined position with respect to the panel 20 so as to permit the bottom fla 28 to be manually placed against said panel 20 and the fastening members 15a on said flap 28 to be pressed into fastening engagement with their corresponding fastening members 15b on the bottom of the panel 20. When this is accomplished, the panel 29 is swung to the panel 20 so as to bring the upper flaps 27 into a position where their fastening members 15a can be pressed into engagement with the corresponding fastening rnembers 15b on the top of said panel 20.

If desired, spacers 30 can be mounted to the back of the panel 29 for maintaining a suitable separation space between said panels 29 and 20, so as to prevent the back of panel 29 from being pressed against articles (not shown) in the holders 19 mounted to the front of panel 20.

The arrangement of the snap fasteners 15 which are used for fastening the article holding member 14c to the article holding member 14b is preferably similar geometrically to that used for fastening the holding member 1412 to the back wall 26 of the compartment 12, taking into account the range of flexing provided in the flaps 27 and 28, so that is desired, the article holding member 14b can be removed and the article member can be directly fastened to the wall 26.

To provide for the attachment of an additional article holding member (not shown), similar to the holding member 140, snap fastening members 15b can be fixedly mounted to the front of the panel 29, so that such an additional holding member can be fastened thereto in substantially the same manner as the holding member 140 is fastened to the panel 20.

As will be apparent to those skilled in the art, other additional holding members (not shown) can similarly be releasably connected together in succession, as desired, for increased article holding capacity, with the maximum number of such additional holding members being determined by the total depth provided when the compartments 11 and 12 are swung into a closed position for transporting the travelling case 10.

It is therefore preferable to provide a snap fastening member 1512 mounting arrangement on the front of panel 29 which is similar to the arrangement provided on the front of panel 20, so that any one of a plurality of article holding members 140 can be interchangeably fastened to either the holding member 14b, the back wall 26 of the compartment 12, or to another article holding member 140.

In connection with FIGS. 1 and 2, it is to be understood that other conventional fastening devices (not shown) such as spring clips, etc., which can perform the releasable fastening function of the snap fasteners 15, can be substituted therefor in accordance with the invention.

Furthermore, while the invention contemplates that in most applications, it will be desired that the article holding members 14a, 14b and 14c be fastened within their corresponding compartments 11 and 12, so as to be enclosable thereby, said article holding members 14a, 14b and 140 can be releasably fastened to the exterior of either compartment 11 or 12. For example, such an arrangement can be readily provided by mounting an article holding member 14b to the exterior of the wall 26 by means of releasable locking fastening devices (not shown) which extend through said wall 26 and are capable of being locked and released from the inside surface of the wall 26, so that such an article holding member 14b can be locked fastened to the outside of the travelling case 10 for safe carrying, and can be removed and be replaced merely by opening the case and unlocking the fastening devices (not shown). In such applications, the article holding member 14b is preferably made of a water proof construction and is provided with a cover flap (not shown) which can be fastened to the panel 20, so as to protect the papers and other items carried within it.

Broadly, the travelling case arrangement of the instant invention contemplates a travelling case in combination with an article holding member and releasable means for fastening such article holding member to the travelling case.

The FIGS. 3 and 4 are directed to another embodiment of the invention wherein layers of mutually adherent materials, such as for example the material which is commercially known as Velcro, are used for releasably fastening the article holding members to the travelling case 10. Essentially these mutually adherent material layers are substituted for the snap fasteners 15 used in the embodiment of the invention represented by FIGS. 1 and 2.

In FIGS. 3 and 4, the article holding member 14b, which is similar in construction to the article holding member 14b, but without snap fastening members 15a or 15b, is provided with a panel 20' having a layer 31 of an adherent material fixedly mounted thereto, the exterior surface 32 of said layer 31 being mutually adherent to the exterior surface 33 of a material layer 34 when placed in contiguous abutting contact therewith. By mounting the layer 34 fixedly to the rear wall 26 inside the compartment 12', the article holding member 14b is.

supported thereby via the adherence between the layers 31 and 34.

It should be noted that the mutually adherent material layers 31 and 34 contemplated by the invention are releasably adherent rather than permanently adherent. For example the material Velcro is most suitable for the layers 31 and 34, since a sufiicient bonding therebetween can be obtained for supporting the article holding member 14b, and said layers can be released from an adherent condition simply by peeling them apart.

If desired, material layers (not shown) similar to the layers 31 and 34 can be substituted for the fastening members a and 15b used in connection with the article holding members 14a and 140. With such a substitution, an adherent material layer is fixedly mounted to those portions ofv the travelling case compartment, or to the portions of the holding member 14b or 14b which are to serve for supporting the holding member 14a or 14c, and similar adherent layers are fixedly mounted to the holding member 14a or 140 which are to be releasably fastened to the supporting compartment or other holding member. Similarly, the article holding members 14a, 14b, 14b and 140 can be releasably fastened to each other or to a compartment 11 or 12 by magnetic means, such as for example by respectively substituting permanent magnet members 151a and 151b (shown in FIG. 2A) for the snap fatsening members 15a and 15b. Alternatively, the layer 34 can be made of magnetized, or magnetizable metal, such as sheet iron, steel, etc., with only the substitution of magnets 151a being necessary. Likewise, the layer 31 can also be of a material similar to the layer 34, either one of which are magnetized and the other magnetically attractive thereto so as to constitute a releasable magnetic holding means.

As will be appreciated by the artisan, the detail structure of any magnetic type releasable fastening means can be varied, and in general will include at least one magnetic merrrber aifixed to an article holder, and at least one magnetic member afiixed to the travelling case where the article holder is to be directly held thereto, or to another article holder which is magnetically fastened to the travelling case so as to serve as an intermediate support for a second article holder. Such magnet members 151a, 15111 are arranged in relation to each other for mutual magnetic attraction to releasably fasten an article holding member to the travelling case or to another article holding member.

What is claimed is:

1. In combination: a travel-ling case, a first article holding member adapted to be enclosed within said travelling case, a second article holding member also adapted to be enclosed within said travelling case together with the first article holding member, releasable means for fastening said first article holding member within and to said travelling case for support thereby, and releasable means for fastening said second article holding member within the travelling case and to the first article holding member for support thereby, said releasable means for fastening the first article holding member to the travelling case including a first pair of material layers, with the releasable means for fastening the second article holding member to the first including a second pair of material layers, said first and second pairs of material layers being mutually adherent when placed in contiguous abutting contact, and separable when adherent, with one material layer in the first pair being fixedly mounted to the travelling case and the other layer in said pair being fixedly mounted to the first article holding member for fastening same to said travelling case for support thereby, and one material layer in the second pair being fixedly mounted to the first article holding member, and the other material layer in said second pair being fixedly mounted to the second article holding member for fastening same to the first article holding member for support thereby.

2. The combination according to claim I]. wherein the first and second pairs of material layers are made of Velcro.

3. In combination: a travelling case, a first article holding member adapted to be enclosed within said travelling case, .a second article holding member also adapted to be enclosed within said travelling case together with the first article holding member, releasable means for fastening said first article holding member within and to said travelling case for support thereby, and releasable means for fastening said second article holding member within the travelling case and to the first article holding member for support thereby, said releasable means for fastening the first article holding member to the travelling case including a first pair of magnetic members magnetically attractive to each other, one magnetic member in said first pair being afixed to the travelling case and the other to the first article holding member, said first pair of magnetic members being disposed for magnetic attraction engagement with each other to releasably fasten said first article holding member to the travelling case, said releasable means for fastening said second article holding member to the first including a second pair of magnetic members magnetically attractive to each other, one magnetic member in said second pair being affixed to the first article holding member and the other to the second article holding member, said sec-0nd pair of magnetic members being disposed for magnetic attraction engagement with each other to releasably fasten said second article holding member to the first.

References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,444,350 2/1923 Levy 5 1 1,908,178 5/1933 Plotkin 190-51 2,389,298 11/ 1945 Ellis 248-206 3,123,190 3/1964 Lifton 190-51 3,143,748 8/ 1964 Manning 190-51 FOREIGN PATENTS 643,888 7/ 1962 Canada.

JOSEPH R. LECLAIR, Primary Examiner. FRANKLIN T. GARRETT, Examiner. D. F. NORTON, Assistant Examiner. 

1. IN COMBINATION: A TRAVELLING CASE, A FIRST ARTICLE HOLDING MEMBER ADAPTED TO BE ENCLOSED WITHIN SAID TRAVELLING CASE, A SECOND ARTICLE HOLDING MEMBER ALSO ADAPTED TO BE ENCLOSED WITHIN SAID TRAVELLING CASE TOGETHER WITH THE FIRST ARTICLE HOLDING MEMBER, RELEASABLE MEANS FOR FASTENING SAID FIRST ARTICLE HOLDING MEMBER WITHIN AND TO SAID TRAVELLING CASE FOR SUPPORT THEREBY, AND RELEASABLE MEANS FOR FASTENING SAID SECOND ARTICLE HOLDING MEMBER WITHIN THE TRAVELLING CASE AND TO THE FIRST ARTICLE HOLDING MEMBER FOR SUPPORT THEREBY, SAID RELEASABLE MEANS FOR FASTENING THE FIRST ARTICLE HOLDING MEMBER TO THE TRAVELLING CASE INCLUDING A FIRST PAIR OF MATERIAL LAYERS, WITH THE RELEASABLE MEANS FOR FASTENING THE SECOND ARTICLE HOLDING MEMBER TO THE FIRST INCLUDING A SECOND PAIR OF MATERIAL LAYERS, SAID FIRST AND SECOND PAIRS OF MATERIAL LAYERS 